TSC issues penalty for teachers over undeclared wealth
TSC issues penalty for teachers over undeclared wealth. Teachers employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) face significant repercussions if they fail to disclose their financial details on time, including the potential issuance of warning letters and even pay freezes. The Commission, led by the Director General Dr. Nancy Machari, mandated teachers and secretarial staff to declare their income, assets and liabilities by December 31, 2023 as stated in the November 7, 2023 circular.
Highlights of the circular include:
1. Mandatory Declaration: All teachers employed by TSC must declare their income, assets and liabilities, regardless of their leave, ban, suspension or authorized absence from service status.
2. Exemption for Trainee Teachers: Trainee teachers are exempt from the declaration requirement.
3. Legal Consequences: Failure to provide accurate information or providing false information may result in a fine of Ksh. 1,000,000 or imprisonment for up to one year under the Official Ethics Act. Administrative or disciplinary action by the TSC may also follow.
4. Digital declaration: The declaration process can only be accessed through the official email address @mwalimu.tsc.go.ke. Teachers are encouraged to provide accurate information and a confirmation copy will be automatically sent to their email.
5. Deadline and system rejection: The deadline for submission is December 31st and incomplete forms will be rejected by the system. Hard copies of forms are not accepted.
The TSC identified more than a hundred thousand teachers who had not declared their wealth by December 10, while a separate list recognized those who had complied. The commission expressed concern when only thirty percent of teachers had completed the declaration by November 30.
In response, TSC Director of Administrative Functions Ibrahim Mumin directed district principals to conduct aggressive campaigns using various communication channels to remind teachers and staff to submit their contributions on time. Manual declarations are no longer accepted as the Commission has digitized the wealth declaration process.
Sections 26 and 27 of the Civil Service Ethics Act require all civil servants, including teachers, to declare their income, assets and liabilities every two years. Teachers who have not declared their wealth still have until December 31 to do so and provide details of the various categories listed in the circular. Receipts will be sent to TSC email addresses and teachers can download them after submitting the details.